Almost before we know it, the good weather has arrived. It’s time to fit out our terrace, garden or balcony.
Last year we already saw how important it was to have an outdoor space to enjoy the fresh air. A space like this is an opportunity to develop our creativity and give life to those corners that have been uninhabited or little used until now.
The cold winter always leaves its mark on our gardens, patios and balconies, offering us the chance to replant, renovate and redecorate these spaces once the temperatures rise. Will you join us?
Let’s take a breath and start connecting with our energy.
Our first tip is to think about that place. Does it need a bit of restoration or just gardening? What plants have survived the harsh winter?
Then we invite you to sit in that place one more time and breathe.
What have you used that space for and what do you want to use it for from now on? Remember that it is an extension of your house, so you can make the most of every centimetre.
What do you need?
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Simply observe its beauty.
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Sit down and read a good book.
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Relax.
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Enjoy a nap.
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Create a cool play area where the children can let their imaginations run wild.
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Sunbathe peacefully.
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Or, why not? Savour a beer or a good meal in your moments of rest.
We can think of many options, it’s up to you!
Now it’s time to take a good look at the state of this space:
1.The furniture you have: if it needs to be varnished, painted or if you have to buy or recycle some interesting piece for the change.
When buying new furniture, try to make it active and functional. Keep the balance of natural colours. Light tones and wood tones will help you to achieve less saturated and fresh spaces. Consider treating surfaces before exposing them to the sun if they will be exposed to the elements for long hours.
2. Upholstery for armchairs, sun loungers… Can they be cleaned and do you have to add any cushions? If you decide to buy them, select well the fabrics and colours, which are washable and add to the desired decoration.
3. Balcony and window grilles. Do they need a coat of paint or is a good cleaning enough?
4. Tiles: Are they well glued or have they deteriorated due to the low temperatures?
5. Walls: Do they need to be cleaned or do they need to be repainted? What do you think about the idea of sticking a vinyl on the wall? This option can give a different air to any room and used in strategic areas, it will help you to create very special spaces. You must consider the state of the wall where you are going to place it and the hours of direct sunlight it can receive. Consult in specialised shops that will surely advise you very well.
6. Awnings, parasols or sunshades. Check their condition, if they are perfectly anchored, if they need to be cleaned, changed or if it is necessary to add any more.
7. Lighting: Was it enough last summer, do you need any special and different lighting?
We have almost gone through the whole inventory of the place to be considered. In order not to invest for the sake of investing, it is advisable to think about the possible changes and make the most of the space.
Now comes the moment we like the most, the moment to choose the plants to fill one of our favourite places with life and colour.
The seasonal plant sale has been going on since January, but frosts are still happening in some areas, so many of you have not yet started your decoration.
Depending on the time you can dedicate to the garden, the hours of sunlight the plants will enjoy and the style you want to achieve in the design, you can choose from a thousand varieties. We recommend plants adapted to your area and low maintenance, but the taste for gardening is very personal, so you can work with everything:
- Seasonal flowers: dianthus, pelargoniuns, argyranthemum, dimorphotecas… There are as many options as there are tastes.
- Flowering shrubs: hibiscus, roses, dipladenias, hydrangeas… Choose the one that best suits the hours of sunshine and care available.
- Climbers: jasmine, bignonias, bougainvilleas, trachelospermum… Among these plants, you can find marvellous plants that will also help to provide shade and limit the view of curious onlookers.
- Aromatics plants: you should consider the aromas of these plants and their flowering, but bear in mind that, depending on where you live, the plant may wither once the cold weather arrives. We love to have aromatic plants in the windows, as they are a good option to use them in the kitchen when preparing delicious dishes.
- Cacti and succulents: play with pots in natural or enamelled colours and also with the size of the plants, mixing globular and columnar cacti, with flowers and hanging plants. Among the latter, senecios and schlumbergera can amaze you for the little care they require. You will get very interesting combinations.
- Fruit trees: Here the range is wide and you will find on the market plants that can remain in a pot (like strawberries, for example) or that need to be put in the ground to bear fruit. There are many options! Choose yours!
Talking about fruit trees, who doesn’t need a lemon tree in summer? Citrus fruits are in great demand for this type of decoration, depending on the space you have, of course, and lemons, because there are varieties that produce more than one a year. At Rachel&Co we love lemons and there are varieties with more than one production per year. Can you imagine not buying them and consuming your own harvest? You will save a lot of money!
Palm trees. Another option to consider, especially if you want to place your space in a paradise. There are also many kinds, but we advise you to choose palms that are not too hard, to avoid children or pets getting pricked.
We stop here, there are thousands of options to choose from. But we would like to ask you to encourage you to tell us what you need, what you fancy, because very soon the high temperatures will return to the whole country and it will be time to stop again, but this time to ENJOY.
In Rachel&Co we are at your disposal for whatever you need, to solve your doubts and share our passion for plants.
See you next time!
